successful future went. >> why a rising star on nbc's "the voice" credits her time in d.c. for her on-stage career. but first, don't plan on taking your dancing shoe to the jefferson memorial or any other memorial, for that matter. the u.s. court of appeals for the district upheld the arrest of a woman who claims it was her constitutional right to dance quietly at that landmark. tom cher woosherwood has more o ruling. >> reporter: it was just a spring time lark. april 2008, midnight. a group of about 20 young people descended upon the jefferson memorial and began quietly dancing to music, music only their earphones could hear. >> we were dancing in here. >> park police on duty were not amused or entertained by the flash dance tribute to jefferson and told all of the dancers to disperse. most of them d but one participant was arrested when she didn't stop dancing, charged with a misdemeanor offense of interfering at the memorial. she went to court, arguing the low-key dancing was protected speech and that at of all places, the feet of thomas jefferson, the author of america's declaration of independence, you know, freedom. as participant jason tally told us back then. >> there are a lot of different ways we can celebrate the ideas of thomas jefferson. we thought wield dance quietly for ten minutes. >> reporter: they pointed out school groups are more noisy and disruptive than silent dancers. the park service responded it has a duty to maintain decorum, that all demonstrations by one person or many are banned inside any memorial. a lower court agreed and now the court of appeals for the district of columbia may have settled the issue, expressive dancing falls within the spectrum of prohibited activities, the court said in its ruling. the park service has a substantial interest in promost moating a tranquil environment at our national memorials. >> tom sherwood, news 4, washington. >> well, we could not reach the woman who was arrested or her lawyers on the day of that ruling and it's not clear whether they will be taking their suit to the supreme court. >> residents in alabama, they are still recovering from the devastation of those recent tornadoes. dozens of dogs and cats left homeless by that storm are now being cared for here in our area and as tracy wilkins reports, if all goes well, they'll be available for adoption soon. this puppy is one of many lucky animals who have sur viefrvief viefed the tornado that ripped through tuscaloosa, alabama. >> we wanted to get involved and help down in tuscaloosa. we had a team to go down a few days before that to help set up a hospital. >> the washington animal rescue league say they were overwhelmed by the devastation that they witnessed. the area is completely devastated. it's actually worse than anything i've ever seen, even katrina. these twisters started right where the shelter is and it went straight across the entire city. >> the tornado that ripped through the south left animals who were already dealing with harsh circumstances with each less options. some were not vaccinated to begin with and are suffering from parvo virus, a deadly animal illness. others have bad bruises they're living with. >> there are a company fractures and dogs that were torn up by the tornado. one story was a pit bull that was chained and actually the twister came and just pulled that dog around the tree about 200 times, someone said so the dogs have a lot of wounds on them, some fractures. >> animal rescue leagues say the tuscaloosa shelter normally didn't handle cats because they were already overrun with dogs before the tornado, but they have taken in about 100 cats to save them from the bulldozing and leveling that will soon be happening in the city. that shelter normally hold 40 to 50 animals in all, but in addition to those cats they also have 200 dogs now that they're taik taken care of. the d.c. animal rescue league brought back more than 406 them. >> i have a happy tail. let's go! >> now the work begins. >> these guys really need a chance so we'll work on them really hard in the medical center and get them available for adoption. tracy wilkins, news 4. >> four rescue workers from the rescue league will stay in tuscaloosa for a little while to help manage two of the temporary shelters there and an animal hospital. local students are also helping the young tornado victims in alabama. volunteers at washington mill elementary in fairfax county, they collected toys, blankets and toys for children who were left with nothing after the storms. this collection campaign started after a teacher learned that her friend's mother is a principal at a school in alabama where dozens of students lost their homes. >> they tug at the heart strings and i have two or three at the school so when you hear that you know exactly what they're going through and just trying to get homework done without having a roof over their head. >> volunteers from washington mill made a 13-hour drive to alabama to personally deliver those donations. well, whether or not we are facing an emergency, frustration does set in easily when we see our cell phones and other gadgets losing power, but carrying around a dead device is preventable. liz crenshaw shows us some ways to make that battery life last longer. >> the worst story about my blackberry dying, and i had a $2 million project on the line and my blackberry died and when i finally called the client back, it was too late. >> we were in the middle of a storm and need a battery. >> my ereader has lost battery power because it's always searching for internet. >> steve cadoiera says it doesn't have to be that way. there are simple ways to boost your battery. >> when your battery life is, you know, about to die and it's almost the end of the world. we rely on the devices for so much and batteries seem to be dying faster than ever. here's one reason why. new multi-function devices, smartphone, tablets and notebooks are notorious battery killers and because they do so many things at the same time pp, make a call, send e-mail and give driving directions and download video. these devices are always searching for a satellite signal to set up a gps location and a wi-fi signal to get you to the internet, plus looking for 4g networks to help you download video faster, but if you're in your home or office you may not need all that up and rung, boost your battery by shutting down the 4g and stopping the satellite search, killing the wi-fi. >> with these, just a sifrmel click of the button for there and it will turn off my gps and turn off my wi-fi and turn off my 4g connection. >> and just click them back on when you really need them. other ways to boost your battery, make sure you don't have a bunch of hidden apps up and running. you can download what's called free task killer apps to make sure you're not running unwanted programs. control, at delete will let you see what's up and running and let you kill unnecessary programs. something as simple as dimming your screen or choosing the power saver mode on your laptop or tablet will help, too. >> you may not think it's all that important, but the better it is, the more battery it will drain. >> so shut down what you don't need and let your battery keep you in touch. >> we're dependent on these too much. that's our biggest problem. >> how long do you want that battery to last? >> a year. >> liz crenshaw, news 4. still ahead on "news 4 this week," a local man shows us his five-minute workout that packs an olympic size punch and an incredible amount of money this cub scout made with his sales pitch and it led him to the pitch of a [ female announcer ] we all want cleaner laundry. we all want fewer chemicals. new all free clear oxi-active. a free clear detergent that's tough on stains and gentle on skin. try new all free clear oxi-active. some who lost loved ones in the 9/11 attacks had a chance to pass on a special message. virginia senator mark warner delivered more than 1200 thank you notes to the navy s.e.a.l.s who took out osama bin laden. the defense department will not disclose the identities of the s.e.a.l. team members because of safety concerns, but warner says those messages will reach them directly. >> these virginians and americans recognize that we would never know the identities of the brave men who carried out this mission, but that in a very personal way they wanted to say thank you and say that we as a nation are safer because of their actions. >> warner saved those messages on a flash drive which he gave to representatives for the special forces. there is a new regional popcorn sales king in the cub scouts. he's had to overcome a lot in his young life and he used that same determination as he went door to door. john schriffen introduces us to sam. >> hi. how are you? >> reporter: for two months, sam ewing knocked on more than 1400 doors throughout his sandy spring neighborhood selling popcorn for his local cub scout pack. >> all of the proceeds go to all of the activities we do for the year. >> his goal was to be the top seller in the washington metro region by raising $8,000, but he had to deal with plenty of people saying no. >> it got annoying, but i got used to it. >> this fourth grader has been overcoming challenges his entire life. as a young child his parents noticed something was wrong. >> we thought he was deaf at first because we would bang pots and bangs and he wouldn't flinch. >> at 16 months old doctors diagnosed sam with autism. >> we did everything we could. >> everything. >> anything anybody suggested. >> he soon began daily speech and occupational therapy sessions. by 6 years old he joined other kids his age. >> it really helps that people don't realize that i have it. usually when people find out that people have a disability they maybe ignore you a little more. >> with his positive attitude the popcorn sales began to grow. in the end he beat his closest competitor by more than $6,000, but nearly $15,000 in sales. >> here's a play right here. >> his aspiring pitcher's hard work will now pay off in front of a stadium filled with thousands of fans. john schriffen, news 4. >> the reason sam was practicing baseball is because it was part of his reward for selling popcorn in our region. he got the chance toe to throw out the first pitch at the washington nationals game. go sam. coming up, why some medical experts say why most diets can lead to weight gain other and health problems, but the intense and one quick workout that one and one quick workout that one [ horns honking ] [ whistle blows ] [ male announcer ] can the network you live on handle the computers, tvs and technology you can't live without? ♪ verizon fios can. get the power and speed of america's largest 100% fiber optic network. verizon fios. a network ahead. call the verizon center for customers with disabilities at 800-974-6006 tty/v. you're unpacking already? yeah. help me find some mugs? sure. ♪ [ beep ] hey. okay. -these'll do. -yeah. [ male announcer ] wake up to the mountain grown aroma of folgers. ♪ the best part of wakin' up so, where do you want to start? i think this is a pretty good place. ♪ is folgers in your cup in news 4 your health, we're asking washingtonians what's your workout and a 29-year-old arlington man is taking his exercise to the next level to become a competitive weight lifter. he shows us how a five-minute workout packs an olympic-sized punch. >> my name is chris beaker. i'm training to compete in the sport of o lynchic weightlifting. when i say olympic weight lifting it doesn't mean that i'm actually training to compete in the olympics, although that would be really cool. it actually refers to the sport of olympic weightlifting. it's something they got introduced to when i got into crossfit about two years ago. it's really difficult to have a boxed or packaged answer for what crossfit is. they inch corporate things like running, rowing, the olympic lifts, power lifts, lots of gymnastics stuff. while many of the workouts are designed with a prescribed number of rounds and sets and exercises, and the objective is to get through that for time as fast as you can. the workout that i did today was -- it lasted only five minutes. it definitely kicked my butt and that's one of the things that i really like about training this way is that it's short, it's intense and it's effective and it doesn't take up, you know, a ton of your time. this past weekend was my first competition. it's exhilarating. it was very, very quick, lifts and to execute it and holding the weight over your head. >> and having participated in crossfit and olympic weightlifting has definitely changed my body composition, increased muscle mass and less body fat. >> i think the average person can absolutely experience a lot of the same benefits. you build a lot of confidence and if you feel like you can handle a heavy barbell, i think that builds a lot of confidence. >> how much does he lift? depending on which lift he's doing he's picking up between 2 thoun 264 pounds. of course, you want to talk to your dollar before starting that routine or any exercise that you're not used to especially one that ins tense. a good diet may improve your health, but skipping food items may be aging you. people may feel older when they stop getting nutrients and vitamins. not getting vitamin b 12 that can cause fatigue. they can get fatty acids to improve your memory loss. items you should avoid include packaged and processed foods. they have too much salt and can cause your blood pressure to spike. almost all of us have grown up with the belief that drinking milk is good for us, but newer research has nutrition experts questioning whether dairy can cause unexpected side effects including weight gain. doreen gentzler has more. >> i was obese. i was 240 pounds, and i stand about 5'11". >> d.c. chiropractor dr. brian harris says he struggled with his weight his whole life. he admit indulging. >> foods like pizza, but tried to balance out what he believed was frozen yogurt. >> it's the best thing ever. and oh, it's yogurt. >> foods like yogurt and milk once thought to be the staples of good health could actually be making people sicker and fueling the obesity epidemic. >> berries have large amounts of calcium, and b12, but our body is not able to digest it. >> melissa farley says dairy products can cause an inflammatory reaction in the tom ak. so when too much milk is consumed, that chronic inflammation could cause small holes to form in the intestines, affecting the way food is absorbed. not only can it adversely affect how you digest and absorb dairy, but also all your other food. >> farley says those holes in the intestines can cause dairy proteins and other foreign substances to get into the bloodstream. that could trigger the immune system to start attacking. >> which may lead to weight gain. >> farley says it's best to get your calcium from non-dairy sources, so dark green veggies like kale are great and so are alternative milk that are fortified with nutrients, but most doctors will tell you it's hard to beat the nutrition that you get from a good old glass of milk. >> dairy is still a really great choice. it provides a lot of minerals that most people don't realize they're getting. >> obgyn who practices at the george washington university medical faculty associates says many of the studies connecting weight gain to dairy don't apply to everyone. >> they found that children who are drinking milk were found to have obesity. those studies were older and a lot of times in children, we're giving them whole milk. >> dr. zorec says if your body is used to having dairy products on a regular basis it shouldn't develop an inflammatory reaction, but for dr. brian hairs, he believes eliminating favorite foods like milk was the key to losing 25 pounds. >> and i just feel great. you rarely ever miss it. >> doreen gentzler, news 4. the bottom line again if you're having trouble losing weight or having unexplained issues talk to your doctor before you make big changes to your diet. coming up next, singing sensation, frenchy davis ♪ ♪ oh, won't you be good to yourself? ♪ ♪ and don't you feel like coming home? ♪ ♪ ♪ it'll be like coming home [ male announcer ] some rooms feel like a fish bowl. but in our roomy suites, you can spread out and live a little. with breakfast, dinner, and drinks included, you'll feel right at home. ♪ la la-la-la-la la la la ♪ a landmark of liberty and opportunity. at bank of america, we live and work here, with thousands of employees and hundreds of branches and atms. every day, we're working to help set opportunity in motion... from supporting the arts and howard university to helping revitalize anacostia and downtown d.c. because when you're giving, lending, and investing in more communities across the country, more opportunities happen. ♪ actor and comedian will ferrell will come to d.c. this fall to take home the country's top prize for humor. he is the winner of the 14th annual mark twain prize for american humor and in a written statement he says he's honored and he will be cultivating a mark twainesque mustache for the event. saral be honored at the kennedy center and it's in october. >> she's become a singing sensation on "the voice." singing is nothing new for frenchy davis and she credits her time for giving the career the foundation it needed. aaron gilchrist has more on her rise to stardom. ♪ ♪ ♪ >> reporter: her voice is unmistakable, those booming pipes hitting every note in the key of perfection, but before washington, d.c., got to know frenchy davis, she got ton washington, d.c.. >> i love d.c. a great deal. it's where i got my education. it's where i started my career, you know, where i learned to take care of myself and where i learned to be responsible and learned all of the icky things that come with being a grown up and being on your own. >> howard university was frenchy's first home in washington. >> so much of my d.c. experience is colored by my experience at howard. that was where young african-americans who wanted to build a foundation for a successful future went. >> frenchy started as an english major, but once the theater professors at howard heard her voice they helped her rilize a different destiny, music. she immerse said herself into theater, singing every place she could. >> i've seen some of the most amazing plays at, you know, studio theater and the kennedy center. i mean, d.c.'s theater scene is unbelievable. it's amazing. >> reporter: they weren't always good times here for frenchy and she talks openly about the tough ones. >> i just didn't have the money for my tuition and i came home to the dorm room, and i was locked out. and, you know, i had nowhere to go and that was -- that was the bottom. it was an adventure for me every semester. am i going to be able to get in class this semester because i just couldn't afford it. >> but good times were ahead. she landed a spot on "american idol," starred in the broadway production of "rent," performs at concert halls all over the country and can be heard on nbc's hit "the voice," but all of that success still humbles her when she comes back to washington. >> going to howard homecoming and seeing the teachers that used to yell at me and hurt my feelings with their harsh critiques and just seeing the pride in their eyes, so worth it. >> reporter: aaron gilchrist, news 4. >> and of course, "the voice" is such a very cool new show that it's wonderful to see all of this new talent on stage and hear what we've got out there, right here in our area. that's all for "news 4 this week." thanks for joining us. i'm wendy rieger, and have a good one. ♪ ♪ ♪ [ male announcer ] using frontline plus shows your pet you care... by unleashing a complete killing force against fleas and ticks. and not just adult fleas. what